A Detroit police officer left a judge, and everyone else, stunned and speechless during a Zoom court hearing this week when he logged in to the virtual courtroom dressed in his official police uniform shirt and badge, but noticeably missing one key item: pants.
Officer Matthew Jackson was appearing before the 36th District Court on charges of reckless driving and public intoxication. But when his camera turned on, there he was -- uniform top, badge, and boxers. Judge Sean Perkins was clearly caught off guard, pausing mid-sentence before asking, "You got some pants on, officer?” Jackson replied, "No, sir.” He then adjusted his phone to crop out the lower half of his body, but not before a stunned attorney on the call gave a baffled look that said it all.
Despite the wardrobe malfunction, the judge carried on with the hearing, and Jackson didn’t appear again on camera. The Detroit Police Department later issued an apology, saying officers are expected to maintain professionalism during court appearances. Police Chief Todd Bettison called the incident "not representative" of the department’s standards and promised it would be addressed.